Cystic Fibrosis Storytime
The Prairie Story Notes and Extras

The Prairie
written and presented by Sean Hunter
with
Country Music Hall of Fame Member
Charlie McCoy

Talk and Discover
for parents, teachers and families to enjoy with all children


How would you like to be a pioneer?
How long do you think it took some of the pioneers to reach the prairie?
What do you think pioneers talked about around a campfire?
How do you think the prairie farmers spent their long winter days?
What do you think were some of the chores for children on the prairie?
Where do you think the children went to school?
What books do you think the children used when they were learning to read?
What might have been some of the games that the prairie children played?
What are some of the wild animals that the pioneers needed to be careful of?
What are some of the wild animals that were dangerous to the prairie farmers?
What are some of the traditions that the pioneers may have brought with them?
What are some your families traditions?
What do you like about Thanksgiving Day?
How do you celebrate a day of Thanksgiving?
What are some of your family’s Thanksgiving Day traditions?
What are some of the songs or hymns the prairie farmers probably sang?
What do you have to be thankful for?
What do you have to be thankful for each day?
Who is someone that has been good to you?
What do you consider to be a sacrifice?
What are some of the sacrifices that your parents have made?
What are some of the sacrifices that your grandparents have made?
What are some of the sacrifices that some people in your community have made?
How can you be thankful and help others?

Learning With Art

Draw a picture of a buffalo
prairie dog
an elk
antelope
Golden Eagle
field of wildflowers
bobcat
cougar
grizzly bear
black bear
wolf
a pioneers wagon

More Talk and Discover

Where are the Canadian Prairies?
What is grown on the Canadian Prairies?
From what nations did the people of the Canadian prairie come?
What states are the American Prairies?
How were the railroads important to the prairies?
How has life changed for the prairie farmers?

Extra Credit

What animals that pioneers might be traveling with
would bears and mountain lions try to attack?
Why was the wolf considered to be one of the
most dangerous animals by the pioneers?
What major river usually needed to be crossed
to reach the American Prairies?

More Extra Credit

How cold does it get on the prairie during the winter?
How hot does it get during the summer?

Sod Homes
http://www.autrynationalcenter.org/explore/exhibits/sod/daily.html

The Song Shenandoah

The melody of the song Shenandoah is one of the most memorable in
Western Folk Music.  The song is American Traditional, by an
unknown composer from the romantic period of the 19th century,
and certainly was known to and traveled with the prairie pioneers.

Enjoy the song, and the music and joy of Charlie McCoy.

And as You Listen
to the song Shenandoah, try to imagine yourself being out on the prairie and feeling
a soft, gentle breeze.  Seeing the mountains in the distance.  Hearing the birds
call to one and other, and then seeing a prairie dog surface nearby.  Imagine that the sun
has followed you all day.  The wild flowers are gently swaying, and their colors are
rich and vibrant, as they have been everyday.  And somehow the silence of the moment reminds you of a smooth flowing river that you crossed, and that others too will be crossing to reach the prairie.  Then you see a buffalo and an elk.  And as you look, just beyond the horizon you see something else moving, and then you realize that it is someone coming.  You don’t know who, but whoever they are, they will be a friend.

And when they reach you, there will be a smile and they will say,
“I thought I heard you singing a song.”


Some Historical Background of the American Thanksgiving

The Indian Squanto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squanto

The Mayflower
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayflower

The Mayflower Compact
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayflower_Compact

Text of the Mayflower Compact
http://www.pilgrimhall.org/compact.htm

George Washington’s Proclamation
http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/firsts/thanksgiving/

Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/source/sb2/sb2w.htm

Direct download: Prairie_Jim_Jim.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:57pm EDT